Lining for dry cells



1,654,038 (2. P. DEIBEL LINING FOR DRY CELLS Original Filed D80. 15, 1924 Iii lilll reamed Dec. 21, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

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'tlrlginal application filed December 15, 1924, Serial No. 755,878. Divided and application filed august 24,

1925,$eria1No. 51,965. Divided and this application filed. August 15, 1927. Serial No. 212,883.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of dry cells and particularly to a very thin, tough, absorbent paper lining which is applicable to cells of practically all sizes, embracing those ranging from the smaller flashlight sizes to the standard six inch size. Among the flashligl-t sizes are cells that are being used extensively in the so-called B batteries of radio sets and it is to the construction of such batteries as these that my efforts are especially directed. I

Flashlight cells, for example, those used in B batteries, are now generally made by molding a cake 'of mix about a carbon rod or pencil and wrapping the same in linen cloth about which a string is wound and tied to form what is referred to as the bobbin.

This bobbin is then placed as nearly centrally as limited time and reasonable care will permit within a zinc cup, in the bottom of which there is usually a paper-disk to lreep the mix from contacting with the zinc dill bottom. This cell is known in the trade as the bag type cell.

A very common fault in cells of this con struction is that the bobbin, being not centrally arranged in the cup, contacts with the side wall, thus rendering the cell internally defective, and one such cell in a B battery 'of fifteen cells causes the entire battery to be correspondingly defective. The battery as a whole is only as good as its weakest cell. Furthermore, when the bottom of-the cup is covered by a paper disk, no use is obtained from the bottom and the life of the cell is proportionately shortened. Also, expensive low resistance materials have to be used in cells so made in order that the cell may properly function under heavy current drains. This is on account of the fact that the surface of the depolarizing mix is a considerable distance from the zinc electrode and the thick paste layer between the two surfaces causes a relatively high internal resistance'. I

Aside from these inherent defects, cells constructed. as above set forth cannot be entirely reduced to automatic manufacture.

The seriousness of this objection has been increased many fold since the advent of the radio. "With the demand as it is today anything edecting an increase in production and a decrease in cost is enthusiastically welcomed by the industry.

The primary purpose of myinvention is to so construct a dry cell that it may be made entirely by automatic machinery thus greatly increasing the volume, and reducing the cost of production and insuring a uniform high quality of product.

My improved cell is preferably, though not necessarily, constructed in accordance with the method set forth in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,552,395, issued September 1, 1925, to Walter G. Waitt and myself and entitled Method of producing dry cells. This application is a division-of application lilo. 51,965, filed August 24:, 1925 and which 111 turn is a division of application No. 7 55,878, filed December 15, 1924, now Patent No. 1,552,396, issued September 1, 1925.

Further objects of my present invention are to provide a highly eflicient yet comparatively inexpensive dry cell having a long shelf life as well as a long active life. Factors contributing to these results are the use of a maxnnum amount of mix in acup of given; size and the availability of the bottom of the cup as a part of the active agent or anode, no disl: being required in the bottom ofthe cup according to my construction. I employ a cup lining of suitable absorbent paper, folded across the bottom of the cup in place ofthc usual paper disk. This insures against the mix contacting with the cup at any point, the paper being subsequently saturated with water or suitable electrolytic solution effectively establishes solution contact between the mix and the cup throughout the area of the sides and bottom of the min. l highly compress the mix within. the cup, thus allowing the use of more mix than would otherwise be possible. This compression of the mix also materially re duces internal resistance, permitting a cheap or grade of materials to he used than is practical were the mix not highly compressed. My cell is known in the trade as the non-bag type cell, as distinguished from the bag type cell hereinbefore referred to.

The dry battery industry developed the use of a chipboard or pulpboard lining between the ainc can and the depolarizing mix. This pulpboard lining serves a double purpose, first, that of an insulator and second, that of a porous diaphragm. As a solid insulator, it prevents the solid particles of carbon, graphite and oxide of manganese from ma ing contact with the zinc and thus avoids internal short eircuiting the cell. As

. a porous diaphragm it permits the soluble have found that a lining of thin pliablepaper instead of pulpboard producescells of much lower internal resistance than cells previously made. This is because thinner paper permits a much thinner layer between mix and zinc than can be practically obtained with pulpboard lining. Furthermore, the-thin pliable paper is very flexible and can be bent or folded over when dry without cracking, whereas the pulpboard is brittle and when dry cannot be folded over without cracking.

. Furthermore my thin pliable paper is very absorbent, so much so, that it can be used dry when the cell is filled with depolarizing material and after filling it will take up sufficient solution quickly enough to make its use practical, whereas the pulpboard lining f must be wet before the depolarizing mix is put into the cell, because of its less absorbent qualities. Pulpboard lining is from 20 to 40 thousandths ofan inch thick and a double layer of my thin paper is only from 7 to 8 thousandths of an inch, thick.

It will be seen therefore that by the use of thin, tough, pliable paper as a lining I have reduced the thickness of the lining about one third, and the result is a cell having much lower'internal resistance. Furthermore more mix will be used in a cell of 'given'size.

These advantages produce a more efficient eell'than heretofore known.

The objects above set'forth, with others hereinafter appearing are attained in the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a central vertical section; through my improved dry cell; Fig. 2 isa perspective view of the lining removed from the cell; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The cup, which is designated 1, is made of zinc or equivalent metal, and in those sizes of cells where such treatment of the metal is "practical, the cup is drawn from a single sheet. This -is a method employed in the The paper is then wound about a form in one or more layers to correspond in size and shape with the interior of the cup and at one end is folded inwardly, as shown at 3, to

form abottom.

. After the lining is placed within the cup :1 cake 4 of suitable depolarizing mix, containing the cathode 5 in the form of a carbon rod 01' encil, is inserted into the lined cup, and

is iighly compacted therewithin, the top surface of the mix, after the mix is compressed, being spaced a considerable distance below the top edge of the lining which, in turn, as will be observed from Fig. 1, is spaced a suitable distance from the open end of the cup. A dished washer 6 occupies the open end'of the lining and rests upon the mix while its rim extends up alongside the extended ortion of the lining, the lining and rim of the dished washer terminating in approximately the same plane.

Before fully depressing the dished washer into the en it is temporarily spaced from the mix an engaged only a slight distance within the lining. While the dished washer 5 is in this position, a quantity of liquid, such as water or a suitable electrolytic solution, is poured into the cell and allowed to run down through the central hole of the washer about the cathode onto the mix and thoroughly saturate the paper liningipas well as the paste which is carried thereby, causing the paste and the paper to expand. The pores of the 'paper become filled with the liquid and .this effects solution contact between the mix and the wall of the cup, thiscondition extending throughout the area of the sides and bottom of the cup. When the liquid is absorbed the washer is pressed down against the mix. as illustrated, and a washer 7 is placed within the cup and brought to bear upon the edge of the lining and the rim of the dished washer. This is followed by the introduction of a quantity of sealing material 8 sufficient to completely fill the cup. The battery is completed by the application of the usual metal cap 9 to the cathode and a terminal 10 to the cup, the latter being shown as consisting of a suitable conductor that is fastened to the cup by a quantity of solder or the like, shown at 11.

The use of paper of the kind described for the lining 2 enables the mix to be inserted and highly compressed without danger of injuring the paper and with the assurance that the mix will at no point come in contact with the wall or bottom of the cup.

The space enclosed by the washers'fi and 7 constitutes the expansion chamber previously referred to which allows for expansion and contraction of air or other gases within the cup also as a reservoir for excess battery solution, without imposing such strains upon the sealing material as would be liable to rupture or loosen it.

' I do not wish to limit the use of my improved lining to cells constructed in accordance with the method referred to,-or to cells which have an expansion chamber as hereinbefore described; but desire it to be understood that my improved lining is one of general application and is adapted for use in all cells of the so-called dry or semi-dry y v. I

i lavlng thus descnbed my inventionwhat I claim is 1. A dry cell comprising a cup, a lining of one or more layers of thin, tough, pliable, o

absorbent paper-like material extending about the inner wall of the cup, a cake or depolarizing mix compressed within the;

lined cup, said linin being sufiiciently strong to permit the cafie of mix to be co1npressed within the lined cup without rupturmg the lining and sufficiently porous to be used dry'in the first instance and yet be capable of absorbing therequired amount of electrolytic solution.

2. A dry cell comprising a zinc container a pliable paper applied to the active surface of said outer electrode, the thickness of the lining being not more than ten thousandths of an inch.

In testimony whereofll hereunto allix my signature. A

cram P.- DEIBEL. 

